Coiling elongated materials

ABSTRACT

The disclosure of this invention pertains to a method and apparatus for recoiling coils of cold worked tubing and includes a set of three rolls for bending the tubing to change its diameter from its original diameter to succeeding convolutions of a different diameter and at the same time to rotate the set of rolls in an opposite direction to the circular direction of the originally formed convolutions which has the effect of avoiding the tubing being subject to any torsional forces during the recoiling.

llnite tates atent Bittman et al.

COILING ELONGATED MATERIALS Inventors: .lesse C. Bittman; Ralph B. Long, .112, both of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio Assignee: Wean United, Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa by said Jesse C. Bittman Filed: Nov. 8, 1973 Appl. No.: 414,002

Related US. Application Data Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 381,308, July 20,

1973, abandoned.

Hm. Cl B21f 3/04 Field 01 Search 72/146, 145, 183, 137, 72/135 371; 140/2, 149; 242/78, 78.6; 29/605 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Crum 140/2 3,200,476 8/1965 Olsen 72/146 3,541,828 11/1970 Norman 140/149 Primary Examiner-C. W. Lanham Assistant Examiner-Robert M. Rogers.

Attorney, Agent, or Firm1-1enry C. Westin; Daniel Patch [57] ABSTRACT The disclosure of this invention pertains to a method and apparatus for recoiling coils of cold worked tubing and includes a set of three rolls for bending the tubing to change its diameter from its original diameter to succeeding convolutions of a different diameter and at the same time to rotate the set of rolls in an opposite direction to the circular direction of the originally formed convolutions which has the effect of avoiding the tubing being subject to any torsional forces during the recoiling.

10 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures I (BOILING ELONGATED MATERIALS This application is a continuation, in part, application to Ser. No. 381,308 filed July 20, 1973 and now,

abandoned. j j V The present invention pertains to coiling, and more particularly, to recoiling elongated material, such as, metal tubing, rod, wire, shapes, squares and hexes, and similar products so that the material can be preserved in its coil form for subsequent continuous processing. Some of these products have been difficult, if not im possible, to recoil or coil as an efficient and productive procedure.

One of the major cost factors in the manufacture of copper, steel, or aluminum tubing ranging in size from 1/16 D. to 2 inches O.D. is the cost incident to annealing the tubing to allow subsequent processing, such as, cold working, to obtain a desired surface hardness. Annealing has been done in the past by several procedures, one being to maintain a tubing in coil form which could weigh from 150 to 200 lbs., there being a very low and objectionable limitation in the weight of the coils because of the tendency of the bottom convolutions to be crushed or fused together. In an attempt to alleviate these difficulties and to increase the efficiency, special alloy baskets were provided for the coils which allowed the coil weight to be increased to 400 to .4590 P295 4 Th s P0Q$ w i mflaans t oi into and after annealing to remove them from the baskets which had to be specially designed and, hence were very expensive. In the process, the baskets, being heavier than the coils themselves, also had to be heated and cooled along with the coils. Moreover, the lower or bottom convolutions still were sometimes found to be subject to crushing. In a third procedure the tubing was straightened and cut into predetermined straight lengths and processed in this form through an annealing furnace. One of the more serious disadvantages of this procedure was that it prevented any further ability to continuously process the material since it prevented the material from being processed in coil form.

While the first two procedures had the advantage of maintaining the tubing in coil form during its treatment which allowed the tube to be thereafter further handled and processed in coil form, it was not heretofore possible to unwind the coils so that the tubing could be continuously processed, for example, conveyed as separate strands through a continuous annealing furnace. The reason that this could not be done was due to the fact that existing uncoiling or recoiling apparatus, such as shown and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,103,237 and Re.25477, which relate to wire handling apparatus, imposed a twisting or torsional force on the material every 360 as the wire was unwound. These forces in materials, such as 1/16 inch O.D.. copper refrigeration tubing are highly damaging to the material resulting in the material not being useful forits intended purposes.

With reference to these limitations and disadvantages of the present procedure for handling tubing and similar products such as, for example, plastic and composite materials, incident to their continuous processing, such as, annealing, the present invention provides a method and apparatus for recoiling and coiling the material so that it can be changed from its original form into either loops or coil forms conducive to subsequent processing and handling.

More particularly, the present invention provides a method and apparatus for coiling elongated material, such as, bar, rod, wire, shapes, tubing, and the like, wherein during the coiling the formed loops or coil forms are reformed in a manner that the material is not subject to any objectionable torsional forces about its major axis comprising the steps and means of: subjecting the elongated material to a working force to bend the material in a manner to form it into succeeding convolutions, and wherein the convolutions as they are formed are urged into a circular path defined by their diameters, and while said bending is being performed on said material causing said working force to orbit about the axes of formations of said newly formed convolutions in a manner that the convolutions emerge as free non-rotating bodies.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a second bending means, the second bending means adapted to receive material fed to it in which the second bending means is arranged ahead of the first bending means and bends the elongated material into succeeding convolutions of diameters different from the diameters of the ultimate coiled convolutions, a collecting means is provided for the succeeding convolutions as they are progressively formed by the second bending means and after formed, they are fed to the first bending for the formation of the ultimate convolutions.

Another object of the invention provides a means for orbiting the first set of bending rolls in a direction opposite to the direction of the formation of the original coil.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a method and means for supporting the newly formed convolutions in a manner that a succeeding convolution overlaps the next preceding convolution to expose substantial portions of their surfaces to treatment to further processing.

These objects, as well as other novel features and ad vantages of the present invention, will be better appreciated when the following description of one embodi ment thereof is read along with the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a plane view, partly in section, of a tube recoiling arrangement for carrying out the method and illustrating one form of the apparatus of the present invention, and j I FIG. 2 is an elevational view of a portion of the arrangement shown in FIG. 1.

In referring to the drawings there is illustrated in FIG. 1 a conventional basket arrangement 10 into which has been placed a coil of metal tubing 12, such as 3/16 inch CD. by 0.020 inch wall full hard copper alloy No. 102. The basket 10 has a customary rotating driving motorgear arrangement 14, the direction of rotation being indicated by the arrow 16. Accordingly, the tubing is unwound in a clockwise direction as one views FIG. 1 and is fed to a straightener 18 to change the coil form of the tubing into a straight running continuous strand. The straightener 18 is only shown in outline form since it can follow several well-known designs and may generate a typical tubing speed of 1,500 f.p.m. Preceding the straightener 18 there is arranged a speed controller 20 for controlling the speed of the straightener with reference to the speed of the motor 14 of the basket 10 and the changing peripheral speed of the tubing as unwound due to its progressively decreasing diameter.

Following the straightener 18 there is a recoiling device 22 of the present invention which is illustrated in both FIGS. 1 and 2. It should be appreciated in understanding FIG. 1 that the drawing actually depicts two different conditions of the basket and recoiling device. While the drawing illustrates both of these units operating at the same time, it will be appreciated that the entire coil is first unwound from the basket before recoiling commences in the recoiling device. The recoiling device then begins its operation on the trailing end of the coil fed to it from the basket. The recoiling device includes a set of three vertically arranged staggered tube bending rolls 24 which receive the leading end of the tubing from the straightener l8 andrecoils the tubing into convolutions generally smaller than their original form when in the basket 10. The smaller convolutions may typically be of the order of 6 foot O.D. As noted in FIG. I, the newly formed convolutions are urged by the set of rolls 24 in a counterclockwise direction. In FIG. 2 an electrical motor 26 and driving belt 28 are shown for the set of rolls 24, it being understood that each of the rolls is positively driven in a direction indicated by the arrows in FIG. 1.

Below the rolls 24 and designed to run a full circle is a table 30 having an upright member 32 and a horizontal member 34, the latter terminating so as to provide a substantial centrally located opening 36. It would be noted that in FIG. 2 several convolutions are shown supported by the horizontal member 34 of the table 30. The roll set 24 with its drive elements 26 and 28 are carried by an upright 38 while the table 30 is supported for rotation by a series of freely rotatable rolls 40. The rotation of the table 30 is supplied by the table being provided with a circular projection 42 which is engaged from the inside by a number of guide rolls 44 and on the outside by one or more driving rollers 46, the latter being driven by a belt 48 connected to an electrical motor 50. As indicated by the arrow 52 in FIG. I, the table is driven in the opposite circular direction to the path of the newly formed convolutions as formed by the roll set 24, the path of the convolutions being shown by arrows 54. In this case, smaller convolutions are formed from larger ones and there is created, due to the differential in diameters, a tendency to push or compress the material behind the rolls 70. In the case of forming larger convolutions from smaller ones the table 30 will be rotated in the opposite direction, since in this case there will be a tendency to pull or tension the material behind the rolls 70. Another purpose in rotating the table in the latter case is to minimize frictional effect between the supporting surface and the material. For certain products, the table need not be rotated and a low friction surface can be provided.

Referring to FIG. 2, it will be noted that the left of the upright 38 and spaced therefrom is a second upright support 56, the two uprights being tied together by a cross-member 58 which rotatably supports a shaft 60 received in a housing 62. The upper end of the shaft 60 is driven by a belt 64 connected to a motor 66 while the lower end carries a rotatable horizontally extending arm 68 to which at one outer end there is mounted a set of three tube bending rolls 70. The two outer rolls are driven or allowed to rotate as indicated by the arrows associated with the rolls in FIG. 1, in a clockwise direction, Wl'llCl'l it Wlll be noted IS the same direction that the table 30 is rotated and opposite to the direction of the path of the convolutions formed by the roll set 24. At least two of the rolls 70 are positively driven by an electrical motor 72 which is connected by a belt 74 to a shaft 76 that extends vertically with suitable clearances into the interior of the shaft 60. On the end of the arm 68, opposite the rolls 70, there is mounted a speed controller 78 through which the tubing is fed which is provided to control the speed relationship between one or more of the motors 50, 66, and 72 in order that the rate of forming of the roll set 70 may be maintained so as not to place any objectionable tension or compression on the tubing during the recoiling operation.

The roll set 70 is designed to receive the leading end of the tubing after the coil has been fed onto the table 30 and to recoil the convolutions into smaller diameters for example 4 feet O.D. At the same time this recoiling is taking place by the action of the bending rolls 70, the arm 68 that supports the roll set 70 is rotated, as already noted, in the opposite direction to the path of the convolutions formed by the roll set 24, which action has the effect of causing the roll set 70 to roll over the tubing to create free-falling non-rotating convolutions or loops of material that have not been subject to any objectionable twisting or torsional forces during the recoiling procedure. It will be apparent that the rolls 70 themselves may be non-driven or driven, and if driven, the speeds thereof should be substantially synchronous with the speed of the arm. Because of the ability of the described method and apparatus to recoil the material in a manner that during the recoiling there is no twisting or torsional forces imposed on the material in the direction of its major axis, it is possible to recoil material, such as steel, aluminum and copper tubing, rod and wire-like material in various solid forms such as squares and hexes. In this manner, these products can be maintained in coiled form; thereby allowing the continuous processing thereof.

While this continuous processing may take a number of different forms, there is shown in the drawings by way of an explanation that the recoiled material is adapted to be deposited in discrete convolution form into a continuous conveyor 80 which is driven by a motor 82 and chain 84 in the direction of the arrow 86 at a rate of speed so that the convolutions as formed by the roll set 70 and after falling through the opening 36 fall on the adjacent end of the conveyor in a spacedapart overlapping fashion; thereby, exposing a substantial portion of their surfaces. In the illustrated form the conveyor is associated with the annealing furnace 88 in which ,QQUIIQQiQP. th waver/ 9-.. 2t the spread-out convolutions through the furnace for continuous heat treatment thereof. After passing through the furnace 88, the treated convolutions are received on a horn and formed into a new coil 92, in which form the convolutions can be further processed.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, we have explained the principle and operation of our invention and have illustrated and described what we consider to represent the best embodiment.

We claim:

1. In a method coiling elongated material such as bar, rod, wire, tubing, shapes, and the like, wherein during the coiling the convolutions are reformed in a manner that the material is not subject to any objectionable tor-- sional forces about its major axis, the steps of:

subjecting the elongated material while at its original form to a working force to bend the material in a manner to change its form into succeeding convolutions, and wherein the convolutions as they are formed are urged into a circular path defined by their diameters, and

while said bending is being performed on said material causing said working force to orbit about the axes of formations of said formed convolutions so that the convolutions emerge as free non-rotating bodies.

2. In a method of recoiling generally circular convolutions of elongated material such as bar, wire, rod, tubing, shapes, and the like, wherein during the recoiling the diameters of the original convolutions are reformed in a manner that the material is not subject to' any objectionable torsional forces about its major axis, the steps of:

subjecting the convolutions while at said original diameters to a working force generated by a bending means to bend the convolutions in a manner to change the original diameters to succeeding convolutions of different diameters,

causing said bending means to urge the convolutions in their new form into a circular path defined by their new diameters, and

while said bending is being performed on said material causing said bending means to orbit about the axis of the newly formed convolutions in a circular direction opposite to the direction that said newly formed convolutions are being urged into said circular path so that the convolutions emerge as free non-rotating bodies.

3. In a method according to claim 2, the additional steps of feeding in a general straight path of travel the leading end of the original convolutions to another bending means arranged ahead of said first mentioned bending means,

causing said other bending means to bend said original convolutions into succeeding convolutions of diameters different from the diameter of said recoiled convolutions,

collecting said succeeding convolutions as they are progressively formed by said other bending means, and

causing said first mentioned bending means to, re-

ceive said collected convolutions.

4. In a method according to claim 3, the additional steps of supporting said convolutions formed by said other bending means upon being formed, and causing rotation of said supported convolutions relative to said orbiting bending means.

5. In amethod according to claim 2, the additional step of:

after said convolutions are formed causing said convolutions to be discharged succeedingly onto a support means in a manner that a succeeding convolu-' tion overlaps the next preceding convolution to expose substantial portions of their surfaces to treatment.

6. In an apparatus for coiling elongated material such as bar, rod, wire, shapes, tubing and the like, wherein during the coiling the convolutions are reformed in a manner that the material is not subject to any objectionable torsional forces about its major axis,

means subjecting the elongated material while in its original form to a working force to bend the material in a manner to change its form into succeeding convolutions, and wherein the convolutions as they are formed are urged into a circular path defined by their diameters, and

means while said bending is being performed on said material for causing said working force to orbit about the axes of formations of said formed convolutions so that the convolutions emerge as free nonrotating bodies.

7. In an apparatus for recoiling generally circular convolutions of elongated material such as bar, rod, wire, shapes, tubing, and the like, wherein during the recoiling the diameters of the original convolutions are reformed in a manner that the material is not subject to any objectionable tensional forces about its major axis,

means for subjecting the convolutions while at said original diameters to a working force to bend the convolutions in a manner to change the original diameters to succeeding convolutions of different diameters,

means for causing said bending means to urge the convolutions in their new form into a circular path defined by theirnew diameters, and

means while said bending is being performed on said material for causing said bending means to orbit about the axis of the newly formed convolutions in a circular direction opposite "to the direction that said newly formed convolutions are being urged into said circular path so that the convolutions emerge as free non-rotating bodies.

8. In an apparatus according to claim 7, including means for feeding in a general straight path of travel the leading end of the original convolutions to another bending means arranged ahead of said first mentioned bending means, and

means for causing said other bending means to bend said original convolutions into succeeding convolutions of diameters different from the diameter of said recoiled convolutions.

9. In an apparatus according to claim 7, including means for supporting said convolutions formed by said other bending means, and

means for rotating said supporting means relative to said orbiting bending means.

10. In an apparatus according to claim 7, means after said convolutions are formed for causing said convolutions to be discharged succeedingly onto a support means in a manner that a succeeding convolution overlaps the next proceeding convolution to expose sub stantial portions of their surfaces to treatment. 

1. In a method coiling elongated material such as bar, rod, wire, tubing, shapes, and the like, wherein during the coiling the convolutions are reformed in a manner that the material is not subject to any objectionable torsional forces about its major axis, the steps of: subjecting the elongated material while at its original form to a working force to bend the material in a manner to change its form into succeeding convolutions, and wherein the convolutions as they are formed are urged into a circular path defined by their diameters, and while said bending is being performed on said material causing said working force to orbit about the axes of formations of said formed convolutions so that the convolutions emerge as free non-rotating bodies.
 2. In a method of recoiling generally circular convolutions of elongated material such as bar, wire, rod, tubing, shapes, and the like, wherein during the recoiling the diameters of the original convolutions are reformed in a manner that the material is not subject to any objectionable torsional forces about its major axis, the steps of: subjecting the convOlutions while at said original diameters to a working force generated by a bending means to bend the convolutions in a manner to change the original diameters to succeeding convolutions of different diameters, causing said bending means to urge the convolutions in their new form into a circular path defined by their new diameters, and while said bending is being performed on said material causing said bending means to orbit about the axis of the newly formed convolutions in a circular direction opposite to the direction that said newly formed convolutions are being urged into said circular path so that the convolutions emerge as free non-rotating bodies.
 3. In a method according to claim 2, the additional steps of feeding in a general straight path of travel the leading end of the original convolutions to another bending means arranged ahead of said first mentioned bending means, causing said other bending means to bend said original convolutions into succeeding convolutions of diameters different from the diameter of said recoiled convolutions, collecting said succeeding convolutions as they are progressively formed by said other bending means, and causing said first mentioned bending means to receive said collected convolutions.
 4. In a method according to claim 3, the additional steps of supporting said convolutions formed by said other bending means upon being formed, and causing rotation of said supported convolutions relative to said orbiting bending means.
 5. In a method according to claim 2, the additional step of: after said convolutions are formed causing said convolutions to be discharged succeedingly onto a support means in a manner that a succeeding convolution overlaps the next preceding convolution to expose substantial portions of their surfaces to treatment.
 6. In an apparatus for coiling elongated material such as bar, rod, wire, shapes, tubing and the like, wherein during the coiling the convolutions are reformed in a manner that the material is not subject to any objectionable torsional forces about its major axis, means subjecting the elongated material while in its original form to a working force to bend the material in a manner to change its form into succeeding convolutions, and wherein the convolutions as they are formed are urged into a circular path defined by their diameters, and means while said bending is being performed on said material for causing said working force to orbit about the axes of formations of said formed convolutions so that the convolutions emerge as free non-rotating bodies.
 7. In an apparatus for recoiling generally circular convolutions of elongated material such as bar, rod, wire, shapes, tubing, and the like, wherein during the recoiling the diameters of the original convolutions are reformed in a manner that the material is not subject to any objectionable tensional forces about its major axis, means for subjecting the convolutions while at said original diameters to a working force to bend the convolutions in a manner to change the original diameters to succeeding convolutions of different diameters, means for causing said bending means to urge the convolutions in their new form into a circular path defined by their new diameters, and means while said bending is being performed on said material for causing said bending means to orbit about the axis of the newly formed convolutions in a circular direction opposite to the direction that said newly formed convolutions are being urged into said circular path so that the convolutions emerge as free non-rotating bodies.
 8. In an apparatus according to claim 7, including means for feeding in a general straight path of travel the leading end of the original convolutions to another bending means arranged ahead of said first mentioned bending means, and means for causing said other bending means to bend said original convolutions into succeeding convolutions of diameters different from the diametEr of said recoiled convolutions.
 9. In an apparatus according to claim 7, including means for supporting said convolutions formed by said other bending means, and means for rotating said supporting means relative to said orbiting bending means.
 10. In an apparatus according to claim 7, means after said convolutions are formed for causing said convolutions to be discharged succeedingly onto a support means in a manner that a succeeding convolution overlaps the next proceeding convolution to expose substantial portions of their surfaces to treatment. 